4,794 white students enrolled in Knox County ditricts in 2022-23 school year

ME Commissioner of Education Pender Makin 2023 | Maine Department of Education

By Mid Coast Today

Oct 19, 2024

There were 4,794 white students enrolled in Knox County ditricts in the 2022-23 school year, 0.2% less than the previous year, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Data showed that white students made up 93.4% of the 5,131 students in Knox County ditricts during the 2022-23 school year. They were the most represented ethnicity.

Among the seven districts in Knox County, Regional School Unit 40/Maine School Administrative District 40 recorded the highest enrollment of white students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 1,643 students.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Knox County.

Recent data from Maine's public schools for the 2023-2024 school year reveal a noticeable growth in Hispanic, Black and multiracial enrollment over the past decade. While over 85% of students still identify as white, this shows a slow but steady increase in diversity within the state schools.

Despite these shifts, Maine's public school enrollment remains about 4% below pre-pandemic levels, despite a slight rebound from the sharp drop during the 2020-21 school year. The decline is partly due to an increase in homeschooling and more students completing high school early through college courses and adult education.

A spokesperson for the Maine Department of Education also mentioned in an interview with Maine Public some other pandemic-related factors persist, with "some parents choosing not to enroll younger children in school and older students who took on jobs to support their families during the pandemic and who are still counted on to provide that support."

Ethnicities in Knox County in 2022-23 School Year

Enrollment Demographics in Knox County Ditricts During 2022-23 School Year

District Name	White Students Enrollment	Total Enrollment	% of Total Enrollment
Regional School Unit 40/Maine School Administrative District 40	1,643	1,768	92.9%
Regional School Unit 13	1,356	1,471	92.2%
Regional School Unit 28/Maine School Administrative District 28	684	732	93.4%
Five Town Community School District	620	652	95.1%
St George Public Schools	293	301	97.3%
Regional School Unit 08/Maine School Administrative District 08	153	157	97.5%
Regional School Unit 07/Maine School Administrative District 07	45	50	90%